Mangaluru-based eminent advocate Vivekananda Paniyala has urged the State Government to implement hybrid mode system of conducting the quasi-judicial proceedings of the Registration and Grievances Redressal Authority under the Karnataka Private Medical Establishments Act.
In a letter to the Chief Secretary on 02.02.2024, Mr. Paniyala said it was surprising that the Authority was still conducting the proceedings in the age-old physical mode when courts across the country have switched over to the hybrid mode with the advancement in technology. Physical mode was not only laborious and inconvenient for both the complainant and the respondent (doctor/ hospital), but also caused severe hardship to both of them when cases were adjourned abruptly without fixing the next date of hearing.
Supporting his demand with a decision of the High Court of Karnataka on 27.02.2023 in Manjegowda Vs The State of Karnataka in WP 50646/2016 (LB-Res), Mr. Paniyala noted that the court had directed the Panchayat Raj Department to webhost all case proceedings including the daily orders and judgments on the relevant website of that particular authority on the lines of the High Court and district courts.
Besides asking the department to ensure the reasons for adjournment of a case was recorded, the court had asked the Chief Secretary to appoint a separate set of persons, unconnected with administrative duties, to deal with quasi-judicial proceedings. At a time when courts too have introduced hybrid systems of hearing through video-conferencing, the department should explore introducing similar facilities at all quasi-judicial authorities to provide easy access to justice to the citizens, the court had noted, Mr. Paniyala said in his letter.
Introduction of a hybrid system of conducting quasi-judicial proceedings of the Registration and Grievances Redressal Authority under the KPME Act will have many advantages, both for the complainant and the respondent (doctor/ hospital), the advocate said. Saving in time, reviewing or continuous evaluation of the performance of the Authority including its members, ensuring transparency, freedom to join the proceedings from the places of the parties concerned thereby saving on time and travel cost, etc., are helpful to everyone. This will also ensure “ease of doing business” wherein Karnataka is in the forefront of implementing the information technology in daily life, Mr. Paniyala said.